Kentucky’s governor will ask President Obama on Monday to speed up federal aid dollars as costs spiral past $45 million for emergency work to restore power, hand out water and food and clear debris across the state hit hard by an icy winter storm last week.

Obama signed federal emergency declarations last week for Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri after ice and snow blamed for more than 40 deaths in nine states and for power outages that peaked at 1.3 million customers from the Southern Plains to the East Coast.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said he will ask the president to upgrade the federal response by declaring a major disaster, which would open the door for immediate financial assistance. The current disaster declaration provides for federal assistance with material, such as generators and bottled water being distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Tags: ice, snow, winter weather